1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a light assembly for a vehicle, and in particular to a light assembly with a single printed circuit board having lights on both sides to provide various functions.
2. Related Art
In vehicles such as automobiles, boats, motorcycles, etc., incandescent light bulbs have been commonly used for indicator lamps, warning lamps and the like. More recently, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been used as a source of illumination since they provide longer life, reduced size and are more energy efficient.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,445 discloses a unitary multiple light assembly for motor vehicle trailers that uses a different array of LEDs to illuminate a side marker light, a rear tail or brake light, and a license plate light, as illustrated in FIG. 1. A license plate attaching bracket holds the license plate in a location in which individual LEDs in a light fixture can shine directly on predetermined locations on the license plate. The LEDs are electrically connected in a conventional manner to a circuit board, which is distinct from the circuit boards which electrically connect the LEDs used to illuminate other features such as a side marker or brake light (not illustrated).
U.S. Application Number 2006/0028830 discloses an automobile waterproof tail light. The tail light includes a main light set, a license plate set, a side light set and a car width indicating light set arranged in a bottom base and separated with caps from one another to clearly show which light is being used, as illustrated in FIG. 2. A main light set and a license plate light set include a multiple LED lamps and are connected on the same side of an electric circuit board (not illustrated).
U.S. Publication No. 20009/0066208 discloses a printed circuit board (PCB) for mounting electrical components such as LEDs. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, an LED pair D11+, D11− and D21+, D21− may be mounted on a single base 300. The LED pair may be used for example in tail lights of a vehicle. However, the LED pair only provides a lamp for a single use or function.